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The Calgary Flames (2-0-0) meet the Edmonton Oilers (0-2-0) at Rogers Place Sunday. Puck drop is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET (NHL Network). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s NHL odds around the Flames vs. Oilers odds and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
Season series: First meeting; Oilers won 3-1 in 2023-24
The Flames doubled up the Flyers 6-3 in Saturday’s game at the Scotiabank Saddledome, and the Calgary offense is good for 6 goals in each of its 2 games. LW Jonathan Huberdeau went for 2 goals and 4 points in the win over the Flyers, while G Dustin Wolf made 37 saves on 40 shots.
The Oilers were in action Saturday against the visiting Chicago Blackhawks, and they suffered another ugly defeat. Edmonton fell 5-2, as G Calvin Pickard made just 15 saves on 20 shots. After getting beaten 6-0 in the opener against Winnipeg, at least the Oilers scored. RW Corey Perry and C Leon Draisaitl had goals, while C Connor McDavid had his 1st point on a helper.
Last season, Calgary was just 1-5-1 in 7 tries playing on no rest, with a minus-9 goal differential. The Under had a 4-3 edge in those outings. For Edmonton, it was 5-5 in 10 games with no rest, while also splitting the Over-Under, so not much to glean there.
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Flames at Oilers odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list of NHL odds. Lines last updated at 6:44 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Flames +220 (bet $100 to win $220) | Oilers -275 (bet $275 to win $100)
- Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Flames +1.5 (-110) | Oilers -1.5 (-110)
- Over/Under (O/U): 6.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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Flames at Oilers projected goalies
Dan Vladar (1-0-0, 4.87 GAA, .792 SV%) vs. Stuart Skinner (0-1-0, 9.64 GAA, .615 SV%)
After Wolf started Saturday against the Flyers, Vladar is expected to go Sunday. Vladar was shaky in a wild 6-5 OT win on Wednesday in the opener, as he made 19 saves on 24 shots to give the underdog Flames a victory.
It was a rough start for Skinner as he was tattooed for 5 goals on just 13 shots in Wednesday’s regular-season opener against the Jets, and he was pulled midway through the 2nd period. He was 2-1 with a 2.67 GAA and .904 SV% in 3 starts against the Flames in 2023-24.
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Flames at Oilers picks and predictions
Prediction
Oilers 5, Flames 3
Moneyline
The Oilers (-275) will cost you nearly 3 times your potential return, and that’s way too expensive for either a standalone wager or as part of a small parlay. If you include Edmonton in a parlay with at least 5 or 6 legs, then it can be excused.
Other than that, AVOID.
Puck line/Against the spread
The OILERS -1.5 (-110) are risky business against their provincial rivals in this battle. Edmonton has managed just 2 total goals in 2 games, so banking on it to win by at least 2 goals against team averaging 6.0 GPG is a bold wager.
While Skinner was awful in the opener, he was pretty sharp last season against the Flames +1.5 (-110), winning 2 of 3 starts.
It has to start to click soon for the Oilers, and you have to trust that the 1st 2 games were just an aberration.
Over/Under
OVER 6.5 (-110) is a strong play, as both of these teams are starting tendies who were shaky in their initial experience of the season.
The Over has cashed in each of the previous 4 meetings in Edmonton, and we’ve had an average of 7.8 combined goals per game in that span, with 6.4 combined goals per game in the previous 9 meetings in this series.
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